Spellcasting Gods

"Well, my evil master, I am actually quite satisfied with pushing a young girl into the abyss of power, although it is a bit of a pity that it lacks a bit of violence and bloodlust. Although my previous masters also did a lot of evil things, they were not like you. After deeply understanding what evil is, they still firmly embarked on the path of evil. In my opinion, your whole soul exudes an aura of melancholy, profundity and death."

"Hahahaha! Evil? Can you tell me who defines evil and justice? What makes you think what I did was evil?" Zhang Cheng laughed and turned around.

"Hmm? Don't you think what you've done is evil?" The Demon Sword's tone revealed undisguised surprise.

"No, of course not! Why would I admit to being evil?"

Zhang Cheng gently shook his head, put down his notebook, and held up a finger.

"First of all, let me correct one point: many people believe that the main difference between evil and justice lies in motivation, but that is actually wrong."

Imagine if someone tries to help others out of good intentions, but it results in an irreparable disaster, or even the deaths of thousands of people. Do you think their actions are evil or righteous?

Another person killed his companion out of malice, but he inadvertently destroyed the research on a terrible virus that, if leaked, would cause the deaths of tens of millions of people. Do you think he was righteous or evil?

Undoubtedly, the former may have had good intentions, but the disaster he brought to the whole world is, in my opinion, the real evil.

Although the latter committed murder, he saved countless lives, and that is true justice.

Often, the line between justice and evil is blurred, and I personally prefer to make judgments based on the outcome.

Now that we've given examples, let's look at my behavior.

I admit that I used Sansa to take revenge on Baelish, and I also admit that I personally pushed this originally kind girl into the vortex of power.

However, please note that if my plan succeeds, the civilians suffering from war and chaos will be freed, and this continent will end its war and return to peace.

This means that the consequences of my actions are beneficial to the majority of people. Since the majority of people can benefit, how can it be considered evil?

So please watch your wording. I am not evil at all; on the contrary, I should be called a messenger of justice.

After hearing what could be described as either sophistry or quibbling, the Demon Sword fell silent for five minutes before finally letting out a helpless sigh.

"Alas—I truly don't know whether to praise your eloquence and wisdom, or your shamelessness. Well then, from now on, we are messengers of justice. Believe me, if one day you encounter the devils of Barto Hell, you will surely become their best friends. These guys will be more than happy to discuss the art of deception with you."

"Hehe, I'm also looking forward to meeting these devils, it would be very, very interesting..."

Chapter 0188 Testing

Without a doubt, Zhang Cheng was well aware of what his actions meant, and also very clear about the definition of evil in universal values.

But he did not intend to succumb to these definitions, nor was he prepared to admit that he was a member of the evil camp, because once he did, it would be tantamount to subconsciously placing himself in opposition to the majority. Only an arrogant idiot would enjoy endless confrontations with so many enemies.

What he wants to do is distort, or rather, subvert, the definitions of justice and evil in order to conceal his true intentions.

Simply put, he is a complete utilitarian, concerned with the outcome and whether he can gain benefits, rather than the means used.

Of course, Zhang Cheng doesn't need to consider the issue of factions right now.

After all, unlike the Forgotten Realms, A Song of Ice and Fire has a strict line separating evil from justice. Often, a simple, low-level spell is enough to identify the opposing faction by the aura emanating from each person.

This is a relatively chaotic world, but also a world close to reality. Everyone has complex human nature, desires, and obsessions, and cannot be simply distinguished as "good" or "bad".

Simply put, because there is no true divine guidance, the mortals here lack purity. They may be scheming for power one second, or committing adultery and plundering for their desires the next, but they may help a complete stranger beggar the next second because of some emotional factor.

Complexity means change and uncertainty. When you can't be sure what kind of change a person will make in the next second, you naturally can't predict the target's behavior with 100% certainty.

When this uncertainty gradually accumulates to a certain extent, the original "plot" will undergo significant changes.

For example, right now, Zhang Cheng followed a young attendant through the corridor and into the hall where the imperial council was being held.

Around the antique long table sat important figures including King Joffrey, the future Queen Margaery, Duke Tywin of Casterly Rock, and Duke Mace of Highgarden. The moment he entered the room, all eyes turned to him.

"Good morning, Your Majesty, and esteemed officials. May I ask what urgent matter you have summoned me for so early?" Zhang Cheng bowed calmly and asked with a smile.

Although he had anticipated that the conversation would be related to the large-scale civilian deaths yesterday, he still pretended to be innocent.

“Mason, there are two main reasons why I have summoned you today. First, we recently received news that someone saw you riding a dragon less than five kilometers from Brightwater City. Do you have any explanation for this?” Duke Mace of Highgarden glanced at Tywin sitting opposite him and began to question him.

Clearly, the appearance of the dragon filled him with a sense of crisis.

It's important to know that the area around Brightwater was already one of the most prosperous territories in the Reach region. If a terrifying dragon were added to the mix, it would be foreseeable that before long, some nobles would begin to distance themselves from House Tyrell and turn to this mysterious and powerful young man.

Zhang Cheng was well aware of the other party's concerns, and shrugged nonchalantly: "No, there's nothing to explain. I did hatch a dragon egg not long ago."

"What?! You hatched a dragon egg! So you have Targaryen blood?" Tywin narrowed his eyes, his whole being exuding intense hostility.

In an attempt to "show his sincerity," he ordered his knights Gregor Clegane and Amory Lodge to brutally murder Rhaegar's wife and children.

If the Targaryen bloodline had a plan for revenge, then the first name on the list would not be Robert the usurper, but the Lannisters who slaughtered unarmed women and children.

Staring into the "old lion's" sharp eyes, Zhang Cheng pointed to his black eyes and hair and asked, "Your Grace, what do you think makes me look like a descendant of the Targaryen family? Although I've always thought I'm not bad looking, I'm far from the inhuman beauty of the Targaryen family."

"Then how did you hatch the dragon eggs? As far as I know, no one except the Targaryen family can hatch dragon eggs, let alone make dragons obey commands," Cersei interjected, unable to contain her curiosity.

As an ambitious woman, she despised and loathed all magical power that was not bound by authority, and was eager to use her father's hand to eliminate the man who had repeatedly embarrassed her.

"Heh, I forgive your ignorance. Only the Targaryen family can hatch and tame dragons? Although I don't know where you heard this rumor, I can tell you definitively that the Valyrians mastered the technology of hatching and taming dragons long before Aegon the Conqueror was born. I merely happened to crack a small part of it. As for the Targaryens that you all fear, before the Valyrian catastrophe, they weren't even considered nobles. Their social status was at most only slightly better than that of ordinary commoners. I don't understand what's so nerve-wracking about a family that's practically extinct?" Zhang Cheng sneered as he surveyed the changing expressions on the faces of everyone at the conference table.

According to his guess, it was probably Daenerys on the other side of the sea who launched the massive war to liberate slaves. The powerful combination of the Unsullied and Garon made these nobles who had betrayed and harmed the Targaryen family very uneasy.

Neither the Lannisters, at the height of their power, nor the Tyrells, whose ambitions were growing ever larger, could tolerate the emergence of a second Aegon the Conqueror who would ride roughshod over them.

Elena Redwyn, the Queen of Thorns, seemed to sense something and immediately forced a smile to soothe us: "Please don't be angry, Earl Mason. You didn't experience that era and don't understand the immense psychological trauma Aerys II's madness inflicted on us. Moreover, his daughter Daenerys recently acquired a brutal army of slaves, along with three rapidly growing dragons. One day, she will cross the sea and return to this land to avenge her father and brother."

"So you plan to figure out my stance before she comes back?" Zhang Cheng slightly curled the corners of his mouth, revealing a half-smile.

“That’s right! But I think we can put aside the suspicion that you are of Targaryen blood. However, we still need a guarantee that you and your dragons will stand on our side when war comes.” Olenna Redwin crossed her arms in front of her chest, her old and frail body exuding a strong sense of oppression.

"Oh? What kind of guarantee?" Zhang Cheng completely ignored the other party's aura and continued to maintain a nonchalant attitude.

“It’s very simple! For nobles, nothing is more important than marriage alliances and the continuation of bloodlines. We hope you can complete the long-delayed wedding as soon as possible and have your first child with Elo.”

The Queen of Thorns made no attempt to beat around the bush and stated her demands directly...

Chapter 0189 Chaos Spreads

"Just a marriage alliance? No other conditions attached?" Zhang Cheng raised his eyebrows, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

He had no idea that the so-called "guarantee" would be so simple, and he couldn't understand where the other party got the confidence to think that he could be so closely bound to the Tyrell family by a mere young and beautiful girl.

It's important to understand that he didn't possess the common mindset and awareness among the residents of Westeros who would fight tooth and nail for their families, even sacrificing their precious lives.

On the contrary, he was just a passerby in this world, someone destined to leave, so he had no sense of belonging whatsoever. Neither marriage nor offspring could reverse the final outcome, so there was no room for feelings or responsibility.

If the situation requires, he will not hesitate to abandon Elo, who is seen as a tool to seize power, and instead marry another woman he does not know.

Such marriages between nobles were less like marriages and more like transactions, with interests being the primary factor and the emotional considerations of the parties involved being the least important.

Olenna Redwin, a master of political maneuvering, was undoubtedly well aware of this. She smiled, her wrinkled lips curving upwards, and replied, "Yes, only a marriage alliance, no other conditions. Furthermore, I, Duke Tywin, and His Majesty the King all hope to see the dragon with our own eyes, so that we can have an accurate understanding of it..."

"and many more!"

Before the "Queen of Thorns" could finish speaking, Joffrey, who had remained silent all along, suddenly interrupted her.

"Your Majesty, do you have any comments on the results of the Royal Council?" Olenna Redwin asked in a friendly tone, while subtly glancing at Cersei beside her, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain, as if mocking the other for not being able to control her own son.

The strong-willed Cersei would never tolerate such provocation, but before she could respond, Joffrey rose first, walked straight to Zhang Cheng, gently stroked the black ring on his finger, and after a full minute, slowly spoke: "Mason, my friend, I care more about the power you wield than dragons. Do you remember the fire magic you taught me before I left King's Landing? Now I can control it freely! And use it to punish those servants who disregard the king's majesty."

The words had barely left his mouth!

Suddenly, without warning, Joffrey raised his right hand, pointed it at an empty chair not far away, and loudly recited a spell that no one else could understand.

next second...

The black ring suddenly emitted a blazing light, followed by a bright flame that burned the hardwood chair to a black charcoal in just a few seconds.

Clearly, judging from his skillful movements and casting speed, his understanding of fire magic has reached a considerable level. If he could study further, becoming a fire-specialized mage apprentice would not be difficult.

Perhaps, as the saying goes, when fate closes a door for you, it will surely open a window.

Although Joffrey's personality is both morbid and extreme due to inbreeding and being spoiled since childhood, and he sometimes cannot control his intense emotions, this personality inadvertently matches the fierce and uncontrollable nature of a flame.

But Zhang Cheng noticed that the moment His Majesty the King unleashed his fire magic, everyone, including Cersei and Tywin, turned extremely pale.

It goes without saying that as Joffrey has mastered the power of fire magic, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue controlling him and treating him as a puppet in name only.

Some people may still be afraid that one day those scorching flames will suddenly fall on them.

After all, Joffrey had repeatedly demonstrated an unstable mental state, and killing servants who unintentionally angered him was commonplace for him; who knows when he might suddenly go mad.

"Brilliant fire magic! Your Majesty, you are truly a genius. You should know that normally an apprentice would need at least one to two years to learn to release fire at the same level, but you only took less than two months." Zhang Cheng deliberately ignored the expressions of the others and did not hold back his praise.

To be precise, he was indeed very surprised by the other party's talent. You should know that in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, apart from Daenerys, who has Valyrian blood, this young man in front of him is the most outstanding.

If he had evidence, he would have suspected that Tywin's wife Joanna had some illicit affair with the Mad King Aerys, and that Cersei and Jaime were their offspring.

"Really? You really think so?" Joffrey's eyes widened in surprise.

Zhang Cheng nodded without hesitation: "Yes, Your Majesty, if you wish, we can move on to the next stage of learning at any time."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started! Come on, let's go to my room. Also, I have a little gift for you, I'm sure you'll like it." With that, Joffrey walked eagerly toward the door.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Zhang Cheng placed one hand on his chest and bowed, while his slightly mocking gaze swept over everyone sitting around the long table.

He was well aware that the power in the capital of the Seven Kingdoms was actually in the hands of two families: the Lannisters, who had won the War of the Five Kings through both military and diplomatic means, and the Tyrells, who had gained enormous political influence by regrouping.

Although the two families appear to have formed an unbreakable alliance, their behind-the-scenes struggles have never ceased, with Sansa's marriage to Tyrion being a result of this power struggle.

Fortunately, both Tywin Lannister, the leader of the Lannisters, and Olenna Redwynn, the leader of House Tyrell, understood the importance of knowing when to stop and making political compromises, carefully avoiding escalating the conflict.

During the conflict, both sides have been filling the power vacuum left after the war, and now there is not a single ounce left for outsiders.

They are now very worried that if Joffrey, the nominal king, also joins this power struggle, the situation will become more tense and chaotic, and they are also worried that their own interests will be seriously damaged.

Under the feudal system, no nobleman would like a powerful king, and no nobleman would like to have a sharp sword constantly hanging over their head. And the sword in question is the fire magic that Zhang Cheng is teaching Joffrey.

Watching the two disappear one after the other at the end of the corridor, Tywin immediately tapped the table lightly: "As you all have seen, this Mason is more difficult to deal with than we imagined. What do you suggest we do next?"

"No matter what it takes, we must stop him from teaching magic to Joffrey. A king who wields great power and is unrestrained is not what we want," Duke Mace of Highgarden clearly stated his position.

“That’s right! We absolutely cannot let Joffrey continue to spiral out of control! He’s already burned twelve servants to death this month! If this continues, he’ll become the second Mad King sooner or later,” Olenna Redwin echoed resolutely.

“Perhaps… he’s trying to pressure us for better terms. Father, I think you could have Tyrion talk to him. Besides, I don’t think the kind of man he is would be tied down by marriage,” Cersei suggested in a low voice.

"Alright, that's enough for today's royal council. Let's figure out what Mason wants first. Also, give this intelligence to Tyrion and let him see what kind of person this so-called friend really is." With that, Tywin pushed the note he was holding forward.

The document above contained a detailed record of yesterday's battle in the alleyway, and the truth behind the mysterious deaths of thousands of civilians...

Chapter 0190 Children of the Forest

The Red Keep, situated atop Aegon Hill in King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, is both a formidable defensive fortification and the location of the royal palace.